And Now Ngata?

Marty Martindale

01/07/2002

Does Oregon have a chance for the best defensive lineman in the West and a player that The Insiders.com rates as the #3 player in America at any position? Well, suddenly it seems that Haloti Ngata may have the Ducks ranked #1 on his own list.

Every school in the country wants him and at one point Haloti even committed to Nebraska, but last night Ngata said that Oregon is his favorite, with the Huskers and BYU battling for second. Ngata even went on to say that he was considering canceling this weekend's scheduled visit to BYU and then commit to the Ducks, who he considers one of the best teams in the nation. However, it now appears that he will visit the Cougs before making his final decision.

Haloti Ngata (pronounced "NAW-ta") is a 6-4, 310, 4.87, PrepStar Dream Team rated defensive tackle from Highland, Utah. He can bench press 385 lbs, squat 495 lbs. and move like a man half his size. His nickname is "Big Bear" because he is known to be a generous gentle giant off the field, but in the U.S. Army All-America Bowl, Ngata looked like a man playing among boys. He has a great burst of speed off the ball and is so strong that he can easily toss around even the biggest offensive lineman. Haloti was never a sleeper, Student Sports had him rated as an All-American as a junior and then after his stellar performance at a summer NIKE camp, they elevated his status to the top defensive prospect in the country regardless of position. Ngata has it all; size, strength, speed and technique. If Haloti Ngata does commit to the Ducks without a public announcement, how will we know? Here's a clue, watch for elated Oregon coaches dancing in the streets of Eugene.